User reviews

Considering this is a low budget TV film Charlie Brooker has pulled off a fantastic little gem, based on the premise of a Zombie Outbreak in England and the tale of a eclectic band of survivors (most of whom already hate each others guts) stuck in the Big Brother House, a satirical comment on the vacuousness of Reality TV to rival Romero's commentary of consumerism in the original Dawn of the Dead.

Taken as a gore fest with a huge dollop of black humour it works a treat and even the nihilistic ending fits so well into the message. Some great references throughout for Zombie Film Fans and Big Brother Fans alike. I like fast Zombies, much scarier and more threatening than traditional shufflers and considering the limited time this mini-series had they really were a necessity. Having some of the real ex-house mates and Davina as Zombies was a great touch.

If you enjoyed Dawn of the Dead (2004), 28 Days and Weeks Later, REC and Shaun of the Dead, Dead Set is definitely worth a viewing.

I was going to say this could have been really bad but the mind of Charlie Brooker probably wasn't going to mess this up, and it delivered on multiple layers. brilliant acting, brilliant characters, possibly too brilliant gore effects. This is so much more than a zombie flick and it really had to be to succeed.

Andy Nyman had many of the best lines but there were so many to go round, including Kathleen Mcdermotts delightfully dense pippa. all of em were engaging and believable, and Jamie Winstone obviously inherited some skills from her dad, she rules her scenes.

watching something like this renews your hope in TV. there's probably more depth than can be consumed in one sitting and its incredibly entertaining to boot. I'll be thinking about this show for the next few days. more please.

Maybe it's impossible these days to make a zombie movie which doesn't feel reminiscent of others; in the case of the Charlie Brooker-scripted TV movie Dead Set, too much of the zombie carnage feels lifted from 28 Days/Weeks Later and the Dawn of the Dead remake. But to focus on that would be to overlook the brilliant angle Brooker brings to the genre, not least its premise: that some of the few survivors of the zombie holocaust are the house-mates in Big Brother. Other horror films have been had reality TV settings, but this Endemol-produced flick has the advantage of featuring actual BB stars: Davina McCall and a host of former house-mates. Of the actors, Andy Nyman stands out as the BB director whose character is clearly Brooker's stand-in for himself, and whose comedy scenes are sensibly kept separate from the horror until the final scenes. And it's so well-written that you'll actually be rooting for everyone to survive.

If you love (a) zombie movies, or (b) Big Brother, Dead Set is *unmissably* good.

However, I would recommend waiting for the 138-minute DVD on 3rd November, as I can't imagine it having half the impact when it's chopped up into five episodes, complete with ad breaks, as it will be on E4 next week.

Hopefully Dead Set won't be quickly forgotten as a quirky little TV series on a minor channel, and will be recognised internationally as one of the decade's best zombie flicks.

What can i say, i was expecting really bad zombies and really bad horror from dead set, and i'm glad to say i was pleasantly surprised.

although the acting wasn't amazing the rest of the programme was excellent, the zombies looked good, the special effects where OK and i really enjoyed the jerky camera angles.

although any fan of horror wont find this scary (think dawn of the dead 2004 or 28 days later) it was very enjoyable.

Channel 4 have done a great job making something original for a TV audience, i can honestly say i have not seen any original "horror" programming this good on TV since Ghost Watch about 15 years ago.

well done channel 4!

For such an incredibly pervasive cultural icon (who doesn't have a Zombie Survival Plan?), the zombie is incredibly poorly represented by cinema. Most zombie films are terrible. In fact, the only zombie films that can really rank as classics even in horror movie terms are the first three Romero films. Beyond that you've got a band of competent efforts: some of the remakes of Romero, the comedy zombie films (Return of the Living Dead, Braindead etc.), the variations on the theme (Dario Argento's Demons, 28 Days Later, Versus) and Lucio Fulci's Zombie. All told that's less than a dozen films. Just about everything else has been terrible and I mean really terrible. Some of the worst cinema ever made is about zombies, most of it either zero-budget American dross or the worst Italy has to offer.

With that in mind, Charlie Brooker's mini-series-cum-TV-movie Dead Set stands out from the pack by miles as a treatment of zombies which is actually very good. It's very well written, mixing realistic dialogue, spot-on satire of reality TV contestants and dark humour without ever getting the tone wrong. It's gory enough to please any splatter fan, with the first competent "ripped apart by zombies" scene in ages, and it manages to create an authentic mood of apocalyptic despair, with the collapse of society sharply depicted. Brooker even manages to fit some decent social commentary into the mix, and does it in a far more holistic and subtle manner that George Romero's latest attempt. Zombies-as-metaphor has always been the preferred way to impart depth onto the death, and Brooker puts in enough subtext about the braindead masses and their mindless consumption of TV and cinema to give you something to talk about afterwards other than the gore effects, should you so wish.

What holds Dead Set back somewhat is its acquiescence to cliché. Like most 21st Century zombie outings, it's packed full of references, most of them to Romero, and the ultimate direction of the plot should be familiar to anyone who's ever watched a zombie film. Many of the shocks and outcomes to scenes will be utterly sign-posted to any fan of zombies, and even the gore effects are content to merely copy the work of Savini et al rather than strike out in his spirit of finding ever-more innovative mutilation of the human form. The over-use of shaky-cam is a more stylistic example of its unoriginality: using wobbly hand-held cameras to create that gritty documentary realism may have been original in 1998 in Saving Private Ryan, but in the decade since then it's been done to absolute death (excuse the pun).

While it does nothing new, Dead Set is still a triumph because it does the old far more proficiently than most have managed. And it's nice to see a British backdrop to the nightmarish apocalypse once again.

Although I'm fan of Big Brother, I have only just got round to watching Dead Set. I love the idea around this mini series and it turned out to be a great watch.

The characters were likable and portrayed well, they was like proper housemates. Having Davina as the host also made it feel more real. The plot was great and progressed at a nice pace, leaving you wanting more after every episode had finished. This action was extremely fast paced and gory, there was also quite a lot of humour which I liked, it was just a good solid drama series in general. Jaime Winstone who played Kelly really stole the show, she was great.

It was kept short and sweet with just 5 episodes, 4 of which were only 25 minutes. The set looked great and the zombies were very detailed. The action was thick and fast.

The way it all ended might not be everyone's favourite but for me that was inevitable. Overall an extremely good series, better than I thought it would be. Would recommend it to anyone, although it isn't that scary.

9/10.

What's not to like about a sudden zombie apocalypse trolling the attention seeking celeb wannabe contestants of a burned out reality TV gameshow? What's even better was that they used Channel 4's Big Brother and its original host to completely and utterly take the mick out of the tragically useless stereotypes that get picked for this show every year. Kevin Eldon did a fantastic job especially, portraying the miserable armchair politician type with a crush without a hope.

Dead Set takes a few good actors, a few television comics, and a brilliant special effects workshop and makes one of the best British efforts in horror there's been since 28 Days Later.

The great cinematography lends a lot of suspense and atmosphere, all in the right places (when it's taking itself seriously). The gore is fantastic and well executed, and the whole film - even the funny parts - are bleak.

What cheapens it for me is how quickly survival leads good characters into the clichéd survival mode reserved for Americans in B-movies. That ultimately leads to the movie's predictable ending with people dying stupidly where they don't die horrifically, but the comedy element somewhat balances that with equal measure.

I don't know if it was supposed to have some message at the end, but the one I took away was along the lines of "good, Davina's dead, let's put something else on the telly!" Never happened.

Charlie Brooker might be my favorite person working in entertainment on both sides of the biz: commentator and content creator. His series, "Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe", is one of the most astute, insightful, hilarious and informative about television you'll come across, and its spin-off, "Newswipe", really lifts the lid off TV news). As a longtime zombie aficionado (as well as purveyor), I came to this with high expectations and was not disappointed. If anything, it overwhelmed me with how breathtakingly good it was.

Ballsier than most horror features, "Dead Set" is also richly satirical, brilliantly written and beautifully acted. Each character is fully realized and distinct, the performances across the board stellar, with lead Jaime Winstone tough, capable and winsome. Andy Nyman almost steals the show as Patrick, the profane producer. He channels Brooker's venomous wit and amps it up. Whereas Brooker as a TV personality can spew invective with charm and good humor (even when he seriously loathes something), Patrick radiates malignance. But because of Nyman's great gifts as an actor, he renders Patrick somehow magnetic. Even when he's doing some truly unspeakable acts, you cannot look away (though some more sensitive viewers might want to watch through interlaced fingers).

I would put this on the top shelf of zombie--or indeed any horror--cinema. It's credible, exciting, captivating and worthy of multiple viewings.

OMG LOVE THIS PROGRAMME! just saw the first episode on E4 and i bloody love it! it was about time they made a show about zombies and I've got to say its some scary stuff. It feels so real as i have always followed the big brother show and it feels as if it is actually happening as the show shows camera angles as if you were actually watching big brother! The zombies are totally scary and the special effects are great for just a TV programme. Davina did an amazing job as acting herself obviously when she was doing the eviction scene but when she became one of the zombies she was very good and was believable cannot wait till the next episode tomorrow if anyone missed it they should definitely catch up on it on 4OD absolutely brilliant! I even jumped a few times!

When I read what it was about I thought "not a zombie series again please". And when I read it was going to be in a Big Brother house I was really skeptical because is there anything more boring to watch then Big Brother or any other reality show. Wannabe attention seekers that want their minutes of fame, I still don't get why so many people watch those kind of meaningless shows. So yes, I was very skeptical before starting watching Dead Set. And I must admit, after seeing the whole show in one day, that it is way better then that disastrous series called The Walking Dead. Okay maybe some of the actors from Dead Set are as annoying as all the actors of The Walking Dead but that's only because their role is to play a Big Brother candidate and it's a fact that those kind of people are boring to watch. So they actually did a great job with their respective performances. Another difference between Dead Set and The Walking Dead is that in Dead Set the zombies are actually dangerous. They are fast, not like the turtles from The Walking Dead. The horror details are very gory and well done, much better then in The Walking Dead. So in fact, everything about this show is better then in The Walking Dead. But the biggest difference between the American and the British zombie show is that the British one is short, to the point, and easy to watch. The American show is boring, never-ending and completely pointless to watch. Long live the British series. They exactly know how to make a good show unlike the Americans that try to milk out every series until the last drop.

Was recommended this series after watching Black Mirror and I think that affected how I experienced it. Black Mirror is leagues ahead of this show but damn its actually a really good series with a very to the point mediation on the zombie like nature of humans and the consumption of pop media in the UK. I felt like there could've been more commentary as the story developed but for the length it does it's job as a zombie series well. Definitely rather watch this rather than Walking Dead. Character development can be a bit blunt with inexplicably difficult character but it leads to a cathartic conclusion.

Than what would they rate 28 Days Later? No way no how does this movie go toe to toe with 28 days. Not even in the same room. With that said, it was kinda good, better than a lot of the other Zombie movies out there. Had one of the better zombie feasting scenes I've seen. What I didn't particularly like was the excessive camera jostling during the action scenes. The effect can be cool sometimes but these guys laid it out for anything going faster than a mall walker. And it didn't help that the camera was at extreme close up while all this shaking was taking place. Harder to watch than most. Picture the original Blair Witch on ultra fast forward.

Charlie Brooker breaks a number of boundaries in creating this magnificent series - but most importantly, he has written the only zombie television series to date, either in the UK or the US. Although the plot contains more gaping wounds than Davina McCall after a zombie's had a go at her, what it lacks in integrity it makes up for in sheer suspense and terror. The premise is laughable - a zombie outbreak is bringing Britain to its knees, and the only ones unaware of this are locked safely inside the "Big Brother" house - but this little gem turns out to be an extremely frightening experience.

While Big Brother host Davina McCall steals the show, she does not play a particularly challenging role, and finds her initial role of playing a fictional version of herself even more challenging than playing a bloodthirsty zombie. On the other hand, Jaime Winstone and the rest of the cast put in fantastic performances all round. One of the series' only faults is the very shaky and often frustrating camera-work, which can be effective at times in adding to the realistic "documentary feel", but often just makes it difficult to work out what is actually happening on screen.

While making a few jabs at the state of British television and celebrity culture - the world is coming to an end, yet Big Brother is still on - the series also manages to deliver truly terrifying scenes and a great sense of nihilism throughout.

If you've watched every episode of The Walking Dead and seen all the quality zombie movies such as The Dawn of the Dead remake, Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland etc... and your wondering what's left. The answer is Dead Set.

Imagine 28 Days Later the mini series and that just about sums it up. A zombie apocalypse breaks out in London in the midst of the production of the latest series of Big Brother. This premise allows for plenty of social commentary & biting satire. The BB director character Patrick is like David Brent from The Office but even more of a jerk. Hilarious. There is bitter sweet emotional drama too. The action is intense and frightening. Damn those fast zombies. They are stressful. Give me the slow American ones any day. Just kidding. Absolutely loved it! Check it out!

Or how about "Big Dead Brother is eating you"? There are quite a few lines you can come up with, with a premise like that. And for a TV show it is pretty graphic in its depiction of violence and blood (not for the squeamish then). The premise is more than nice, actually intriguing. The fact the undead are running might put you off (depending on your liking, I do like the slow ones myself), but give it a try, it's not that long (just over 2 hours).

While effects and make-up are great, you couldn't do it without the acting talent. Andy Nyman is on great form as the main "human" villain in this piece. Of course, as he also states in interviews in the bonus material, his character doesn't see himself as the bad guy. And some might like him the best. He definitely stirs things up. Decent and good effort then.

I thought that there would never be a zombie epic to beat or even overshadow George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead (apart from Shaun of the Dead) and now FINALLY I think we in Britain have finally got a film/TV movie/ mini series that does rival that. Dead set is a horror set around the Big Brother phenomenon and a terrifying real zombie apocalypse. The general public and the house-mates even the crew of Big Brother become unknowingly involved in a vicious fight for survival as the dead start eating the entire British population one chunk at a time. I truly loved this, I love zombie movies (yes even the crap and extremely cheesy ones too) and this was the best millennium zombie based survival horror I have ever seen. As far as I was concerned the remake of Dawn of the Dead, remake of Day of the Dead, the new 3D version of Night of the living dead and every other 'poser' zombie movie out there nowadays that doesn't fulfil the code of the zombie horror movie i.e. intense scenes and graphic gore, Dead set fulfils on all levels. Firstly the acting is great from Andy Nyman (severance) as the totally obnoxious producer of Big Brother Patrick to Jamie Winstone as the poor floor runner Kelly forced to become the heroine in charge of the survival of the house-mates of the Big Brother house. There's even past BB housemates who star in cameos at the start of the series and some even become zombies later but you'll have to watch it to find out who becomes one and who becomes zombie brunch. Next I'll move to the gore. Don't think that just cause this was a made for TV movie that they skimp on the gore because they don't. I was very surprised by the gore and bloody carnage that they were allowed to put on the small screen. E4 have definitely pulled out their balls and had the guts (no pun intended) to show this movie he way we'd expect it to be seen in all its gutsy glory (again no pun intended.) Some of the effects rival that of Tom Savini's groundbreaking and very gruesome special FX on the original George A. Romero's Day of the Dead. I was in awe by what they were allowed to show on the screen and thank god they did. Next the social commentary that George included in Dawn is re-invented and used in Dead Set. How the characters talk about the zombies and how the zombies watch the revealing show via TV sets that they walk around finding their next meal and what society is reduced to. Lastly the zombies in this are genuinely chilling, they look menacing and vicious even at times somewhat evil and very ravenous… and I mean ravenous for human flesh (take note Resident Evil Trilogy) Yes even for the first time I can even pass the fact that these zombies can run and pretty damn fast. Just like the zombies from Dawn of the Dead remake, Day of the dead remake and 28 days/weeks later these will tear after you if you are seen and that is scary but although they can do that the slow style of zombie i.e. Romero's zombies are much more frightening than the fast future style zombies of today. The dark overtone of the story adds an air of dread to the atmospheric tension and terror that Dead Set has deep in the underbelly of Charlie Brooker's well thought out script. Britain proves that what Hollywood can do, with a bit of careful structure and preparation the UK can do it better. We did it with Shaun of the Dead which was a global hit and I believe that we can easily do it again with Dead Set when it finally reaches USA shores soon. The climax genuinely had made both thrilled, chilled and scared and not many horrors can do that with me.

Dead Set is a thrilling gory"shoot me again I ain't dead yet" exciting piece of UK style horror and should be seen to be believed.

Great little piece - a well mix of gore and comedy and some unique ideas (!) and on top a pro production, and most surprisingly - it's all about zombies!

Got this mini series 2008 straight in my collection and re-watched it lately. Still good and outstanding in a genre that is flooded with bad to very bad and extremely bad "movies". Strangely, this gem has remained largely unknown to a broader audience.

A must watch - if you like the combination comedy + the undead.

An eviction night in the UK's Big Brother TV show is interrupted by worldwide zombie outbreak, the house-mates are left none the wiser locked up, but outside mayhem reigns as the living dead's numbers increase. For a TV production I thought it was very gory and the sfx were also of a very good standard. The script by Charlie Brooker is to the point and very amusing. I wasn't too enamoured early on with the TV producer Patrick, i thought his character was a complete bastard, but as the show went on, i grew to like him somewhat, he had some very funny lines and I guess he turned into an anti hero of sorts.. I did think it started quite slow but the pace and gore factor increased rapidly towards the end so i wasn't disappointed. The Big Brother factor was done quite well, i guess fans of the show will be happy seeing all the familiar faces and those who hate it will love the house-mates getting their comeuppances, so everyone goes home happy. Of course its not without its moments of social comment, the baying mob outside the BB house showing little difference to the real thing.

This preposterous piece of rubbish full of cardboard cutout characters should be banished to the bin which served as a toilet in the series.

I'm a big Brooker fan but this series left me wondering what on earth compelled him to write such trite, glib characters and then try and shoehorn them into a zombie plot.

Maybe it was his way of practising for "Black Mirror", which was far superior to this tripe.

There's no excuse for all of the characters in the film doing what they do and the way that they do it, and my suspension of disbelief ran out when nobody ever mentioned the word "Zombie" or ever mentioned having seen a zombie film.

As for "multi-layered social criticism" then an episode of Top Cat has more of that than this mish-mash of pseudo intellectual claptrap.

My friend who recommended this to me will be severely punished when we next meet.

Cheers, Will